Here’s a ready-to-use template plus a concrete example to help you draft your executive summary today.

The Universal Executive Summary Template

Length: 1–2 pages (write it last, but place it first in the plan)

1. The Hook (Problem + Opportunity)

[Company Name] is addressing the critical gap in [industry/market] where [specific customer segment] currently struggles with [pain point]—a [$X billion] market growing at [X%] annually.

Fill-in: We solve [problem] for [target customer], saving them [time/money/frustration] while capturing [market opportunity].

2. Your Solution

We provide [product/service category] that [key benefit] through [unique mechanism/technology]. Unlike existing alternatives that [limitation of competitors], our solution [your unique approach].

Key differentiator: [One sentence on why you’re defensible—IP, network effects, exclusive partnerships, etc.]

3. Market Validation & Traction

• Target Market: Primary focus on [specific niche] ($X million addressable market)
• Traction to Date: [X customers/users/revenue] in [timeframe] with [growth metric, e.g., 40% MoM growth]
• Pilot/LOIs: Signed letters of intent from [notable names] worth $X

4. Business Model

We generate revenue through [primary stream] ($[price] per [unit]) with [secondary streams, e.g., subscription/licensing].

• Unit Economics: [X]% gross margin; CAC $[amount]; LTV$[amount]
• Projections: $[Revenue Year 1] →$[Revenue Year 3]

5. Competitive Advantage

Moat: [Proprietary tech/patents/first-mover in region/data network effects] Team: Led by [CEO name], former [relevant experience], with [CTO/COO names] bringing [X years] in [industry].

6. The Ask (If Seeking Funding)

We are seeking $[Amount] in [Series Seed/Angel/etc.] funding to:

1. [Primary use—e.g., "Scale engineering team to reduce deployment time"]
2. [Secondary use—e.g., "Expand into two additional markets"]
3. [Tertiary use—e.g., "Increase inventory/production capacity"]

Milestones to be achieved: [Specific, measurable targets for next 12–18 months]

7. Closing Statement

With [proof point: traction/team/market timing], [Company Name] is positioned to [ambitious but realistic future state, e.g., "become the default platform for X within 3 years"].

Concrete Example (SaaS Company)

GreenSync Analytics is tackling the $1.2B agricultural waste crisis where mid-sized farms lose 23% of crops to inefficient irrigation scheduling—a problem exacerbated by climate volatility.

We provide AI-powered irrigation sensors coupled with predictive weather analytics that reduce water waste by 40% and increase yields by 15%. Unlike blanket solutions from competitors like CropX, our proprietary soil-matrix algorithms adapt to micro-climates within individual fields, creating defensible data moats.

Traction: 150 farms deployed across California’s Central Valley; $120K ARR with 95% retention; partnerships with three agricultural co-ops representing 2,000 potential customers.

Model: Hardware ($199/unit) + SaaS subscription ($19/month/farm). Unit economics: 82% gross margin on software, CAC $150, LTV $1,200.

Team: CEO Maria Chen (ex-John Deere Digital, 10 years ag-tech); CTO James Park (ML PhD, ex-Climate Corp).

The Ask: Seeking $1.5M Seed to expand to Texas and Florida markets ( Milestones: 500 active farms, $1.2M ARR by Q4 2025).

Quick-Start Action Steps

1. Draft raw content first: Don’t edit. Fill in the bracketed sections above with bullet points.
2. Compress ruthlessly: Cut adjectives. "Very innovative" → "First-to-market in X."
3. Front-load numbers: Put dollar signs and percentages in the first 3 sentences when possible.
4. Customize for the reader: If sending to a VC, emphasize market size and exit potential. If for a bank loan, emphasize cash flow and collateral.

Follow-Up Questions to Refine Yours

To help you tailor this template specifically:

1. What industry are you in? (Tech, retail, manufacturing, service-based?)—I can provide industry-specific jargon and metrics investors expect to see.

2. What’s your current stage? (Idea, pre-revenue, growing, seeking expansion capital?)—This changes whether you lead with vision vs. traction.

3. Who is the primary reader? (Angel investors, bank loan officer, internal leadership, strategic partner?)—Each requires a different emphasis on risk vs. reward.

Drop your answers, and I’ll help you customize the opening paragraph and financial highlights section specifically for your situation.

Executive Summary Template for a Business Plan

The executive summary is a 1-2 page overview of your entire business plan. It's the first (and often only) section investors read, so make it compelling, concise, and standalone. Write it last after completing the full plan, using clear language, active voice, and quantifiable data.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your Executive Summary

1. Start with a Hook (1-2 paragraphs): Grab attention with your mission, unique value proposition, or a key stat. Introduce your company and what it does.

2. Describe the Problem & Opportunity (1 paragraph): Explain the market pain point and size of the opportunity (e.g., market size, growth rate).

3. Outline Your Solution (1 paragraph): Detail your product/service, how it solves the problem, and what makes it unique (e.g., competitive edge).

4. Summarize Market & Customers (1 paragraph): Cover target market, customer segments, and go-to-market strategy.

5. Highlight Business Model & Traction (1 paragraph): Explain revenue streams, key metrics (e.g., sales, users), and milestones achieved.

6. Financial Snapshot (1 paragraph): Share projections (e.g., 3-5 year revenue, profitability) and funding needs.

7. Introduce the Team (1 short paragraph): Spotlight key founders/execs and their expertise.

8. End with the Ask & Vision (1 paragraph): State funding amount, use of funds, and a bold close on future impact.

Tips for Success:

• Keep under 1,500 words (aim for 800-1,000).
• Use bullet points or bold subheads for scannability.
• Back claims with data (no fluff).
• Tailor to audience (e.g., emphasize ROI for investors).
• Proofread ruthlessly—errors kill credibility.

Editable Template

Sample: Tech Startup Example (EcoTrack App)

EcoTrack: Executive Summary

EcoTrack is a SaaS platform empowering small businesses to track and reduce carbon emissions effortlessly. Founded in 2025, we help 50,000+ users cut emissions by 30% on average, generating $150K ARR in our first 6 months.

The Problem & Opportunity
SMBs face rising ESG regulations but lack affordable tools—manual tracking costs $10K/year per business. The $10B sustainability software market grows at 25% CAGR amid net-zero mandates.

Our Solution
EcoTrack's AI dashboard auto-calculates footprints from invoices/utilities, suggests optimizations, and generates compliance reports. Differentiators: 95% accuracy, $19/month pricing (vs. $100+ competitors), mobile-first.

Market & Go-to-Market
Targeting 10M US/EU SMBs in retail/manufacturing. Launch via LinkedIn ads, QuickBooks integrations, and B2B webinars.

Business Model & Traction
Freemium subscriptions + premium add-ons. Traction: 5K beta users, 40% MoM growth, pilots with Patagonia suppliers.

Financial Highlights
Projections: Y1: $1.2M revenue; Y3: $12M (35% margins). Break-even Q4 2026.

Team
CEO Jane Doe (ex-Google sustainability lead, Stanford MBA); CTO John Smith (built apps at Salesforce, 2 exits).

The Opportunity
Raising $1M Seed to hire sales team and expand AI features. Invest in EcoTrack to lead the green tech wave and achieve 10x returns.

What type of business or industry is your plan for? Share details like your product, target market, or funding stage, and I can customize this template further!